Glow ears join Disneyland holiday fireworks

ANAHEIM – Max Brauer brings his glowing Mickey Mouse ears to Disneyland several times a week.

But he has rarely seen more than a handful of visitors wearing the interactive ears during the "Believe in Holiday Magic" fireworks show, when the ears change colors and twinkle to the music.

"Not very many people know about it," said Brauer, 19, of Loma Linda.

Disneyland this year added what it calls Glow with the Show to the holiday fireworks. It is the resort's third night-time entertainment program retooled to make the high-tech ears twinkle to the beat and special effects.

Glow with the Show began with the "World of Color," an elaborate water-and-light show in Disney California Adventure, and later it was added at Disneyland to "Fantasmic!"

A pair of ears cost $25. Some were given away during special events, where the full effect of syncing ears was visible.

On a recent Tuesday night, few glow ears could be seen amid the crowd in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle for fireworks.

Brauer sat next to his friend, Steven Wise, 18, who also wore the ears.

The ears alternated between blue and white during "The Dreidel Song" and green and red during "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth." A white glow beat during "We Three Kings."

On Main Street, U.S.A., Dave and Johanna Mancini of Valencia brought their ears especially to watch the fireworks that end in fake snowfall. They ended up watching each other's ears.

"It was pretty cool, but it would have been cooler if there were more," Dave Mancini said. "The real spectacle is when you see many ears syncing up to the music."